Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
(one day before Christmas Eve)

We had fallen asleep each sprawled out on our own beds, talking and looking at the enchanted sky. Unfortunately for us, the way we woke was not as pleasant as the way we fell asleep.

“AHH!” A scream came from the quiet Hospital Wing, waking us with a start.

“James?!” Remus yelled loudly sitting upright in bed instantly. His face fell just the slightest bit when he saw that it was not in fact James who had made the noise. Madam Pomfrey was on the floor, crumpled between two very large boxes.

“What, may I ask, is the meaning of this?” She asked, trying to contain her voice as she scanned the Hospital Wing. “Madam Pomfrey-” I started, but I was interrupted by Sirius.

“I thought it would be nice if we decorated the place, to make it more festive, you know? It was all me, it’s my fault.” He looked at the woman with fear in his eyes, but was somewhat startled when she started to laugh. She looked around the room again, this time noticing all the decorations instead of the boxes. She took out her wand and waved it, the boxes disappeared.

“Sorry Madam Pomfrey, I didn’t mean to make you trip.” He grinned sheepishly at her. She tried to look stern, but wasn’t nearly as frightening as Professor McGonagall. She gave up and smiled slightly to the whole room.

“It is kind of nice.” She said, and with that, she walked hastily into James’s curtain. Sirius noticed and frowned slightly, but he seemed relatively happy that he hadn’t gotten in trouble.

After a few minutes, when we had really woken up and stretched, I left to my dorm to change clothes and bring up breakfast for everyone. I was gone for maybe fifteen minutes. When I returned, the Hospital Room was empty, Remus wasn’t in his bed. I heard a sniff from James’s curtain and I ran towards the sound.

Remus was behind it, sitting next to James’s bed. He looked up when I came in. His eyes were red, he’d been crying. I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. I remembered that this was the first time Remus had seen James since he had woken up two days ago.

“Are you alright?” I asked him gently.

“W-we were just waiting for you to get back. Madam Pomfrey came out, and Sirius just had to ask how James was. She said that she’d had to give him another blood replenishing potion because his cuts were still bleeding, thanks to me. Sirius was really mad that Snape’d hurt James that badly. He waited for Madam Pomfrey to leave, and he went to the Slytherin Common Room to find the git. And, well, seeing as you two weren’t here, I decided to come and see James for myself.”

“Oh Remus I’m sorry you came in here without Sirius or myself with you. I’m sure that James won’t blame you in the least for what happened. As for Sirius, Remus I can’t believe you let him go like that! If he finds Snape, I- ugh, I don’t want to think of what might happen!”

Remus sniffed again, “I’m sorry Lily, but I really wasn’t thinking about anything except making Snivellus pay,” That was the first time I’d ever heard Remus use the nickname the Marauders had given Snape, “You’re right Lils, Sirius shouldn’t go after him, but he’s gone now. I still think though that anything Sirius does to Snape will be well deserved.”

I sighed and stood up, “I’m going to look for him, I’ll be back.” I reached out and touched James’s arm. “I just hope Sirius hasn’t gotten to him, James wouldn’t want Sirius in more trouble because of him.” I left without another word to Remus. I hurried out of the Hospital Wing and down to the dungeons, where the Slytherin Common Room was. I didn’t get very far down the stairs before I heard a loud thump from down the hall. I ran toward the noise and reached the end of the dark hallway, I took out my wand.

“Lumos.” I said, illuminating the dark corridor.

“How dare you do this!” Sirius spat at Snape. He had the latter pinned up against the wall with his wand pointed threateningly at his neck. “You have no idea what you’ve done!”

“Sirius!” I yelled, catching his attention for the first time. “You don’t want to do this, this is why this whole thing happened in the first place!”

“You’re wrong, this is exactly what I want to do!”

“Think of James,
Sirius!”

“I AM!”

Snape tried to talk but Sirius’s grip on his throat was too tight. He looked scared, that was a rare thing. I wondered what Sirius had done to him before I got there. I looked from one boy to the other at a loss for words. I was barely containing myself from running at Snape myself, and I wasn’t in any position to tell Sirius to stop. I didn’t know how to make him see that this wasn’t the way to go about things. He was so scared for James, I knew that and I knew that he would do anything to protect his brothers. I didn’t know what to do.

“Sirius, please.” I reached out and touched his arm. He shuddered slightly and turned his gaze back to Snape.

Sirius sighed deeply and looked at me again. “If I were in that bed, James would do the exact same thing for me or Remus. I know it. I have to do something, he’s not getting away with this.”

“James would do the same thing, even Remus would. You all care for each other more that I can ever understand. I never realized that, but you must understand that this isn’t the way. This whole this was started because of you two. Sirius, if you hadn’t told Snape how to get into the willow this wouldn’t have happened,” He looked away in shame, “And you,” I started, turning to address Snape for the first time.

“You conniving little git! How could you do this! I shouldn’t be surprised, a Slytherin like you could never pass up a chance for revenge. Maybe you should go and see James. He’s so hurt. I can’t believe you! Any one with any good in them would never be able to do something like that!” I slapped him across the face. Sirius dropped his grip on him and he fell to the floor. I pushed Sirius out of the way and pointed my own wand at him. “Petrificus Totalus!” I yelled. He went stiff and stayed unmoving. I turned to Sirius so I didn’t have to see him anymore, afraid of what I might do if I had to see him any longer.

Sirius embraced me and I hugged him back. “Let’s go,” I said quietly. We turned back toward the entrance and neither of us noticed Snape come out of his jinx or when he crawled to his wand across the room. Neither of us noticed him until he stood up and shouted a spell. “Expelliarmus!” Both of our wands flew out of our hands and into his. We turned around and Sirius stood in front of me with hatred in his eyes. “After what she just did, you’re going to just throw away any chance of hope you have? If you attack us, nothing she says will stop me, I swear it.” His voice was deathly low, I was scared, but I didn’t say anything to try and stop him.

Snape had an evil glint in his eyes. “Like I need help from a filthy little mudblood like her. You’ll both pay for what you’ve done to me. That little Gryffindor brat Potter deserves what he got and more!” Snape yelled. That was the last straw, the frail truce between them that I had mad was destroyed. Sirius lunged at Snape, forgetting that he didn’t have his wand. Before Snape could react Sirius punched him square in the jaw.

“DON’T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT JAMES! YOU’LL REGRET EVER BEING BORN! HE’S A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER THAN YOU COULD EVER BE!” He yelled furiously. From the ground Snape took his wand and made a slashing movement with it. The spell hit Sirius across the chest and he fell to the ground in a heap.

“Sirius!” I screamed, running over to him. I turned him on his back and his head rolled to one side. I felt his wrist and could barely feel a pulse. “What did you do to him?!” I demanded, standing to face Snape with tears running down my cheeks.

“Awww, does the mudblood want to stand up for Potter too? Does she finally…love him?” He said mockingly. When I didn’t respond he laughed, “Well it’s about time I think. But even filth like you isn’t worthy for that git, even if he is a pureblood.” He laughed again, pointing his wand at me. He started to make the same slashing movement that he used on Sirius, but I jumped to the side, and instead it hit the wall behind me. I fell to the ground and reached by his feet and grabbed my wand. I rolled over dodging another spell and propped myself up against the wall. He shot one more spell at me. “Protego!” yelled, blocking it, “Stupify!” I stunned him and he fell over again. I walked over and picked up both Snape and Sirius’s wands. I kneeled over him, “You are extremely lucky that I care about all of the Marauders too much to get them in more trouble.” I whispered in his ear. “Obliviate.” I said. I was at the top of my class in charms and I knew exactly what to do. “You will forget all of this. You will mention this entire incident with the willow to no one ever again.” I stood up from him and threw his wand across the room. I then went over to Sirius. I felt his wrist again and again felt a weak pulse. I conjured a stretcher and took him up to the Hospital Wing.

I pushed open the doors the Wing and stepped inside. “Madam Pomfrey!” I yelled. Remus came out of James curtain with Madam Pomfrey behind him. “Oh my!” She said making her way quickly over to us. “What on earth happened, no. I don’t even want to know anymore! You are all going to be the death of me!” She took the stretcher and went to another bed and began summoning potions from her office. Remus looked positively horrified. “What happened?”

I sighed and went over to his bed. He followed me and sat down. “Lily?” He asked. I told him everything that happened in a hushed whisper so Madam Pomfrey couldn’t hear. When I finished, Remus just stared at me.

“Snape attacked you even after you let him go? That’s insanity!” He said. I nodded. “I can’t believe Sirius listened to you. I’m so sorry that you had to go down there, I should never have let him go in the first place. It seems that I’m the cause of everything lately.” He said with his head downcast.

“Remus, don’t you think that for a moment. If Sirius were here now he would hit you. You’re not the cause of anything! This isn’t you fault at all. It’s all that git Snapes fault. Sirius already feels completely guilty because of what he did in fifth year. He thinks that if he hadn’t done that then none of this would have happened. In a way, he’s right too, I’ve seen the way he looks at James and at you when you’re not looking, he’s so devastated that he did this. Don’t go and blame yourself, that would just make him feel worse.” Remus was silent for awhile but he nodded.

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” He asked quietly. “Both of them?” He looked in my eyes, hoping for the answer that he so desperately wanted. I wanted to give it to him, I truly did, but I honestly didn’t know.

I sighed heavily, “I’m sure of it.” I lied. I couldn’t stand being in the Hospital Wing anymore, not knowing that both James and Sirius were in there hurt. I couldn’t stand to see them anymore, or to see the pain in Remus’s eyes. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.” I whispered to Remus once more, turned on my heels and ran out of the room. I ran all the way down the hallway, down many staircases, and right outside completely forgetting my jacket. When I got outside I didn’t stop running, I ran all the way out to the edge of the lake. Even then I didn’t stop but I continued to run on the ice until I reached the middle of the water.

The second I got there I collapsed. I fell to my knees started sobbing. It was too much for me. All of the emotions I had been holding inside since the night inside the willow came spilling out of me. My face was cold and the ice cold tears streaming down my face were making it worse. I wrapped my arms around myself and sank lower to the ice. I couldn’t believe that in only the past few days my whole world was thrown into chaos. I could have very possibly been killed by a werewolf, but instead was saved by two men who are currently unconscious in the Hospital Wing. I had developed a friendship with Sirius whom I wouldn’t have given a second thought before, I felt so guilty that I had been so rude and horrible to him all these years. I had to see Remus every day with pain and guilt in his eyes. No one should have to go through what he did every month, and now that he had hurt his friends, I couldn’t guess how guilty he felt.

And James. Over the past week I had gotten to know him in a way that I never thought I could. He had wonderful friends that talked about him like he was the best thing in the world. I only wished that I could know that person that they talk about. I was feeling guilty. Maybe if I had just went on one date with him one time, things would be different. If I didn’t have to be such a jerk to him all the time and tell him off for being an idiot. Maybe if I could have just caught a glimpse of the man behind the boy, things would be different. But I couldn’t change that now could I? I mean, all of our years at Hogwarts together I’d been horrible to him, who’s to say he’d even want me now? I was completely lost.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Remus standing over me with a saddened look on his face. Without a word he sank to the ice with me and pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back, crying into his coat. Remus, noticing that I didn’t have one with me took off his and wrapped it around my shoulders. I shuddered and curled up closer to him, sobbing even harder. He just sat there in silence with me while I cried.

About a half an hour later, when I had calmed down enough to talk to him, I told him all of the thoughts that I had been thinking for the past week. With each thought he looked more and more surprised but he let me continue none the less. Once I had finished I took a deep breath. He looked at me with a sort of amused look on his face and it made me a little annoyed.

“What’s so funny?” I asked angrily. “Is my pain humorous to you?”

“It’s not that.” He said, wiping the smirk off of his face. “I just find it a little funny that you could think like that. First off, let me apologize again for the Shrieking Shack. I still can’t tell you how bad I feel. Secondly, you don’t need to feel bad for not talking to Sirius all those years. He always said that he knew you had a thing for him, that always made James mad.” I laughed at that, wiping the freezing tears from my eyes. “And, well, about James. I’m really glad that you’re thinking about giving him a chance now. I know he was a little immature in some of the ways he asked you out, but he really does care for you. After every time you turned him down I could see the hurt in his eyes, of course you were too angry to notice. I’m sorry I said that but it’s true. If you had actually given him a chance, actually gotten to know him you would have found out what a great guy he really is. I’m amused that you are falling for this guy when he’s,” I noticed Remus’s eyes start to water, “in his current state. And all these years he’s been right in front of you. You only notice him when he’s not talking. And if you don’t mind me saying, he does talk too much.” We both laughed at this.

“Thank you so much Remus, I feel like such a baby now.” I said as we stood up, me wiping the stray tears still running down my cheeks.

“Well don’t.” He said smiling, “Everybody has bad days, it’s fine. Now, can I finally give you some good news?” He asked. I nodded. “I was going to come find you to tell you that Madam Pomfrey says that Sirius will be just fine and he should wake up in a few hours.”

“Wonderful, I’m glad.” I said as we made our way back up to the castle trudging through the snow that was falling heavily again.

Instead of heading strait up to the Hospital Wing we decided to head to the Great Hall for a late lunch. We sat in a comfortable silence because there were no other students there, all of them having eaten hours previously. After an hour we went to the Common Room to change and freshen up. As soon as we were done we headed up to the Hospital Wing in hopes that Sirius had woken up. We pushed open the doors and stepped inside to a very noisy room.

“Sirius Black you will not get out of this bed! For the last time, SIT DOWN!” Madam Pomfrey yelled.

“I need to see Lily Evans!” He shouted back. I made a noise and they both turned to face Remus and I for the first time.

“Well, Mr. Black it seems you got your wish. Now would you kindly get back into that blasted bed before I make you unconscious again?!” Sirius glared at the nurse, who in turn glared right back before walking hastily back into her office. As soon as she slammed her door shut Sirius jumped out of his bed and ran over to me. He engulfed me in a hug that nearly crushed me. “I was so worried that something had happened to you! Madam Pomfrey kept telling me to relax and sit down but-” Sirius let go, realizing that he had just hugged me, “Well, um…I mean James would want to know you’re alright.” His face reddened and he stepped away from me. I laughed and went to him, hugging him tighter. Remus joined in and soon we were all laughing.

“We’re just glad you’re alright Padfoot.” Remus said as he and Sirius sat down on his bed. They began to talk and I went to see James for awhile. He was in the same position that he always was, flat on his back, no shirt, no glasses, pale, and unconscious. I went over to him and pulled up a chair.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve said this to you over the past few days James, but you really do have wonderful friends. You’re so lucky. Well, maybe not so lucky to be in the position that you’re in now, but I mean lucky that……” I rambled on and on. I didn’t know that I could be so embarrassed talking to an unconscious man. I mean, it is possible that he could hear me, but I was embarrassed for a different reason, I felt such emotion for this man that I was nervous to even speak. At a loss for words, I reached out and touched his arm which was unusually cold. “I’ll come see you tomorrow James.” And with that I left the curtain to the only other conscious occupants in the room.

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A/N: Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've been really busy but I promise I'll try to get the next one up soon! It's gonna be the second to last chapter, almost finished!